


The Lost Girl

by mutantgirl80



Series: The Lost Girl [1]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Awkward Flirting, Explicit Consent, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friendship / Flirting / Thinking of You Fest, Old Friends, Protective Avengers, Sexual Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:41:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28756803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mutantgirl80/pseuds/mutantgirl80
Summary: Mariko has always been unsure. She had lost her past and felt that she had no direction for her future. At the beginning of the story she finds herself in federal prison after a brief stint as a mercenary faced with a visit from an old friend with a proposition for her. Will she make the right choice or will her vices win the day once again?
Relationships: Tony Stark/Original Female Character(s), Wade Wilson/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Lost Girl [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2108301
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Prison

**Author's Note:**

> This work is based on an original female character I created as a re-imagining/extension of one of Logan's love interests from the Wolverine comic series. While she shares a name and some characteristics of that character she is meant to be a slightly different person and has a different origin, personality, etc that may not be canon.
> 
> This work may contain themes and situations that can be triggering to some individuals.

Step after step she walked. The rhythmic slapping of the thin plastic lining the bottom of her drab white slip-on shoes echoed through the corridor she was being held in. It was a path she had traced time and time again since finding herself in her current position. It had become somewhat of a morning routine for her. A way of keeping some normalcy in her life and something to keep her mind off of all of her worries.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she pressed her hands against the thick glass that loomed before her. Stretching one leg up and catching it in her hand, she stretched her thigh muscle out as she exhaled a long breath. Switching over to the other leg, she gazed through the glass to the cell across from hers. It seemed her neighbor hadn’t gotten up for the day yet. Only his fading green hair was visible near the edge of his bunk from her viewpoint. She had no idea how anyone could sleep in late here. The noise, the lights, the cold. It was so far removed from the comforts of her previous bed.

Turning her head, she narrowed her eyes, trying to help focus them as she peered into the cell to the left of hers. The young man being held there seemed to yell at the camera watching over his cell yet again. How many more times would it take for him to realize that nobody cared what he wanted? Surely it had to grow tiresome to helplessly berate his invisible watchers. Glancing over to her right side, she couldn’t help but feel intrigued by the final occupant of her corridor. He had been the last to join the bunch, showing up just a few weeks ago. Mariko had barely seen him move since. Day and night he sat, chained to the same chair.

Mariko took a few steps over to her right, adjusting herself to get a better look at him. So much cold anger seemed to pour from his features, yet his soft puppy dog brown eyes hinted at something human left hidden in there. Perhaps the most striking feature of her new neighbor was the strange metal prosthesis he had on his left arm. Surely if it was some kind of weapon, he would have lost it at his arrival. She had lost all the weapons she had come with. Perhaps they didn’t know it was a weapon? Perhaps it was just a replacement for a lost arm. Her lack of other entertainment made his shining appendage even more interesting. From time to time she had made up a backstory for him out of boredom, but she couldn’t help but wonder what the actual story behind his appearance there was. Surely it had to be quite a tale for him to need such heightened security compared to the others there.

Looking down at her arm as she pondered the idea of a metal addition, she noticed her flesh dotted with small raised bumps from the coldness of the glass she was leaning against. Outstretching the fingers on both hands, she rubbed them across her bare forearms and over the fine hairs that stood on end. The thin scratchy orange fabric that covered her torso tickled at the inside of her arm as she made a feeble attempt to warm herself while she ambled over to her cot. Climbing up onto the thin plastic-coated mattress, she turned so that her back was against the wall and hugged her knees to her chest as she rested her head back against the wall.

The dullness of her environment had taken its toll on her. They allowed her no media, and even books were scarce in the corridor they assigned her to. They afforded other lower security areas outdoor time, meals in the cafeteria, and a choice of numerous books from the small prison library a few floors above her. Mariko and her companions were stuck with what they brought to them. None of them left the four walls of their glass cells.

At the beginning of her incarceration there had been a few opportunities to leave her cell for visitation. She wasn’t sure how he had done it without being arrested himself, but she was always happy to see her partner waiting on the other side of the thick panel of glass and holding the phone to talk to her. She knew better than to ask. For so long she thought of him as her only hope of getting out of there. After all, he was the only one who knew she was there. The hit they had been working the day she was arrested was one of his. She was just along for the ride. Sometimes she felt so much anger towards him for how it all went down. So much hurt and confusion that he hadn’t tried to save her or stop her from being arrested.

Running her hand through the side of her limp red curls, she closed her eyes. Thoughts of the day she was taken in made their way to the forefront of her mind. It had been just another job for Wade. A quick in and out to take care of some businessman. It was a task the two of them had done so many times before. This time the job knew they were coming and was already hiding in a panic room when they arrived. Never one to listen to reason, Wade placed a large load of C-4 to take out the door. With the blast still ringing in her ears, she followed him into the rubble as the door nearly disintegrated before them. They had no way of knowing how many bodies they would find on the other side of the door, but they were all just collateral damage. They had been on the wrong side of things, after all. One had to distance themselves from these types of things when working as a mercenary. This was one of the first lessons Mariko had to learn when she and Wade had stumbled upon each other years ago.

As the smoke cleared, it was apparent that their target hadn’t been the only one in the room. Blood soaked the generic blue office carpet. Scattered body parts had landed on dusty computers and stacks of paper. As he walked through the ruins of the door, Wade picked up an arm. Muscle and sinew still hung limply from one side as he waved it at her with a dumb grin on his face. Mariko rolled her eyes as she loaded a magazine into the rifle she was carrying. It was nearly the length of her arm, but he had trained her to use it well. Pulling back on the mechanism, she heard a click as a bullet entered the chamber and turned to storm the room in search of survivors. She was beyond ready to get the job done and get out of there. Already the sickeningly sweet stench of death and spilled entrails filled the air.

Before she could take more than a few steps, her attention was drawn to the stairs behind them. The thundering of boots and indiscernible yelling echoed up into the office they stood in and drowned out the whining siren that had been going off in the background. Before she knew what was happening, Mariko found herself staring down the barrel of a shotgun. Although she tried to turn and run, she found herself forced to the ground, dropping her gun out in front of her as the soft skin of her cheek smashed to the floor. The tread of a large boot pressed down on her temple so hard she could feel each of the ridges boring into her flesh. Her long red hair stuck to the other side of her face in a matted clot as it soaked in a puddle of blood. A snap echoed through the room as her arm wrenched back sharply and handcuffs clicked her wrists together. Pain seared through her shoulder from the strange bend in her arm and her skull felt as though it would crack any minute from the pressure of the boot still pressing her head into the ground. Tiny hairs pulled from her scalp with even the slightest movement, both from the matted, bloody mess on one side and the tread of the boot catching the other.

As the officer pulled her up with a yank at the metal loops around her wrists, she looked frantically around the room for Wade, but he was gone. She had no idea if they had already taken him off or if he had somehow made it out. She wouldn’t see him again until two weeks later when he randomly showed up for visitation. Knowing that their conversations were being recorded, she never brought up the night of her arrest. She tried to tell herself that none of that mattered, anyway. Truth be told, she was just happy that someone, anyone knew she was in there. That she wasn’t just locked away and forgotten. She had always held onto some hope that he would get her out of there. Perhaps that was why it stung so badly when he stopped showing up for visitation and once again disappeared from her life.

“Food’s here.” A gruff voice came from the other side of the glass, breaking her out of her thoughts and forcing her back to the cold, dull reality of her cell.

Although the food tray that was being pushed through the small slot in her cell door looked less than appetizing, it was her only option for sustenance until much later in the day. She had learned quickly to just choke down whatever was being offered as the only alternative was to starve. Looking over the day’s presentation, she picked up a hunk of bread off the tray and inspected it carefully before taking a bite.

“Word is you’ve got a visitor today” The woman’s voice came through the food slot as they stared awkwardly at each other. Mariko looked oddly at the tired old woman who stood before her. Her features seemed chiseled into a weary face that was framed in soft, well-kempt brown hair that seemed a strange contrast from the rest of her. Despite her rough appearance, she had been the only one in the facility to show any kindness to Mariko. She often stopped to chat for a few brief but wonderful moments of human interaction on days she served food to the four in the corridor.

“Oh?” Mariko raised an eyebrow slightly, not wanting to show any emotion for anyone that might watch from the cameras peering down over them. “Do you know who?” She knew better than to get her hopes up on seeing Wade again.

“No….” The woman responded as she shook her head, a thick Northeastern accent showing in her words. “Just sounded like someone important. Maybe a retrial?” She seemed to smile for a moment.

“Oh,” Mariko said, letting her gaze fall back to the bland food on her tray. Surely Wade wasn’t on the someone important list. In the back of her mind, she played with the idea of a disguise of some kind. He had done something similar in their last trip to Europe, but she quickly tried to force the idea out of her head. The last thing she needed was to get herself worked up just to be let down again.

Taking a few more bites of her food and grabbing the small carton of milk from the tray, she pushed it back through the slot to the waiting woman. “Thank you,” Mariko said, smiling softly as she turned to walk back over to her cot. Placing the milk on the floor beside her bed, she laid down and stared up at the large metal lights overhead. She had no idea who would visit her. Wade was the only one of her friends that even knew she was there. She had become so removed from everyone else when she started working with him. Surely, most of her friends from the Xavier school were just fine with that, anyway. A mercenary like Wade wasn’t exactly the most popular kind of guy with that crowd, and she did not doubt that at least a few who used to call her friend now looked down on her for associating with him.

It felt like only a few minutes had passed when she heard a knock on the heavy glass cell door, but a certain evening stillness had begun filled the darkening halls of the corridor. Blinking a few times to force her eyes to adjust, she yawned and sat up. She couldn’t help but stop in her tracks when she realized just who the “someone important” stopping to visit her was.

Standing, she hurried to the door and pressed her hands to the frigid glass, peering out at the man who stood looking into her cell next to an armed guard.

“Tony…..?” She whispered in disbelief as she squinted to get a better look at him. It was a sight she hadn’t seen in years. A cautious but unavoidable smile traced its way across her delicate features. She had worked with the Avengers a few times during X-Men missions that she had been a part of. Before leaving the Xavier school, she had considered him an ally and a good friend.

“Hey, Momo.” A familiar smirk made its way across his features. “Long time no see.”

“Mr. Stark.” A voice began as she saw a second armed guard walk up behind him. “I’m afraid she’s not allowed out of…”

The guard was cut off as his words fell on deaf ears. “Look. Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to open that door and I’m going in.” He turned briefly to look at the guard as he spoke, but pointed toward his caged friend.

“….but Mr. Stark, this is maximum security. She’s in there for a reason. She’s highly dangero…..” The guard replied only to have his words cut off again.

“Door. Now.” Tony pointed again at the cell. The guard let out a heavy sigh as he fumbled with keys and began walking toward the glass door, realizing that it was pointless to continue the argument.

Not knowing how to react or why he was there, Mariko fidgeted as she waited for him to enter her cell. She was so confused, but just happy to have someone to talk to. Although her mind raced, she tried her best to keep her composure.

“Don’t be dangerous…” He winked as his arms folded around her in a tight hug. She instinctively curled her arms around his back. The scent of his clothing was almost intoxicating as it enveloped her. She had been in that sterile environment for so long, and he reminded her senses so much of her life before that awful building. He held her tightly for several minutes before letting her go. Although she was confused, she put up no struggle. The feel of a warm body next to hers was a welcome one.

“Tony. I….” She began in a shocked whisper, nearly choking on her words as she looked up at him in wide-eyed amazement. He stepped back and put a shushing finger to her lips before she could get another word out. A small rush of electricity coursed down her spine as his fingertip pressed against her soft lips. It had been so long since anyone had touched her, but a strange charge filled the space between them.

“Look, I know what happened. It’s ok Momo. You don’t have to explain anything.” He walked over and sat on the rickety cot as she followed him, nervously fidgeting with the thin fabric of her orange prison jumpsuit. Settling a short distance from him, she crossed her legs under her as she sat curiously studying her old friend.

“What are you doing here?” She finally blurted out, leaning in closer to him after a painfully long silence. “How did you even know I was here?” She had lost contact with so many when she left the Xavier school. When she began working with and then dating Wade even more of those who had once called her friends disappeared from her life.

“You don’t want me here?” Tony’s piercing eyes met hers, questioning her. There was a strange tension filling the room that she had never felt in his presence before. He had always been intense, but this was something different, something new.

“No, it’s not that, I just…” She kept her gaze met with his for a few seconds longer before looking down at the torn ugly flats on her feet. A swell of embarrassment filled her senses for having one of her old friends see her in this place. Shuffling nervously, she looked back up into his eyes. “Why would you want to see me?”

“This isn’t you.” A stern look crossed his face. “You know that as well as I do.”

“Apparently it is.” She let out a defeated sigh as she searched his eyes for just what he was getting at. Was he trying to be some kind of father figure to her? Sure, he was a few years older than her, or at least the age she thought she was, but he had never seemed that way before. The idea of him being an “older influence” made little sense to her.

“No, you know it’s not.” He turned to sit facing her, sitting with one leg under him as he leaned in closer to her. He seemed so relaxed in her presence. It was a welcome change from guards and guns. “I know you went through a lot. You were looking for something when you found him. I understand. I do….but this isn’t you.”

Mariko sat in silence for a few moments. He was right. She was hurt, lost, and homeless when she ran into Wade. After falling out with the man who had brought her to New York from the Canadian wilderness, she had left the Xavier school to find her own way and failed miserably. Wade had been her savior. He taught her to be self-reliant, but also to take care of herself through means her former friends would never approve of. She knew that it wasn’t the best way to live, but it was all she had for so long.

“Look, we all miss you.” Tony began again. “The school needs a good flamethrower again.” His hand raised to her chin in an attempt to pull her gaze up to meet his. She could feel herself becoming uneasy with the subject.

“The X-Men…” She nearly growled as the words left her mouth. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure Professor Xavier is doing just fine without me messing things up." A wave of shame and sadness washed over her, but she did her best to push it away. “I’m sure Logan is doing just fine too…”

“You’re wrong.” He cut her off, not elaborating on whether he was referring to her ex-coworkers or her ex-lover.

“I can’t go back to that life after this.” She raised her arms, gesturing to the cell walls that surrounded them.

“Then don’t.” His hand moved to her knee as he moved closer to her. His eyes remained locked on hers. Mariko tried to look away and dodge the feelings she felt envelope her but found herself unable to escape.

Her eyes narrowed in confusion at his words. “Tony, I….”

“I’ve paid your bail money.” He smiled, moving even closer. “They’re freeing you in the next few hours.” Tony’s hand moved along the edge of her arm, and Mariko felt her breath catch in her chest as a strange emotion washed over her. “I want to help you.” He added, not removing his hand from her arm.

Mariko sat in a state of shock for a moment, unsure that she had heard his words correctly. The idea of freedom seemed surreal at that point. She didn’t much like the idea of charity either. As she looked up at him, his hand moved down to hers and his pinky curled against the back of her hand.

“Tony… you can’t. That’s so much money. How…?”

He just rolled his eyes. Naturally, the cost wasn’t an issue for him. “How long have we been friends?” His grasp tightened on her hand. “I’ve always cared about you, Momo. Let me help you. Let me get you out of this life and back where you belong.”

“I don’t think Pepper….” She began, still unsure just what he was proposing.

“Pepper has nothing to do with this or much else for that matter.” As she looked up at him, Mariko was met with a smirk.

“Oh. I’m sorry.” Mariko said, even more confused by the situation. She had no idea what to think. Of course, Wade made his way to the forefront of her mind briefly. Saying yes to whatever Tony was offering meant saying goodbye to him. Surely she couldn’t just go back to life as a mercenary after an Avenger had bailed her out of jail. Was that really what she wanted, though? Should she stay there and hold out for Wade’s return? She had never been good at decisions, but this one was excruciating.

“I can give you anything you’ve ever wanted. Can he say that?” Tony’s eyes glimmered as he worked to convince her. He had sensed her questioning.

“I’m not like that, Tony. I don’t care about those things.” She shook her head fiercely, almost offended that he had even brought such a thing up as a bargaining chip. That he thought he could somehow buy her into accepting his offer, even though she still wasn’t sure just what that offer was.

“ I know that…” He seemed to laugh. “…but you deserve better than that idiot Deadpool.”

Mariko just frowned. She wasn’t so sure that she agreed with him. That idiot had helped her to finally find herself. She had thrived in the new life she was forced into starting years ago. He had believed in her and forced her to grow rather than protecting her like some fragile toy as Logan did.

The more she thought about it, she had no idea how Tony would have even known about her relationship with Wade. She still had no idea how he had even found her. Sure, as an Avenger and just being Tony Stark, he no doubt had ways of finding just about anyone he wanted to, but how would he have known to look for her. She had no idea what he was trying to accomplish by visiting her here. If she didn’t know better, she would almost peg him as jealous. It made no sense, though. There had been nothing like that between them all those years ago.

“I need to think about this…” Mariko uttered softly after realizing that she had been silent for far too long. Although she had no idea what was going on, she couldn’t help but feel intrigued by the whole thing.

“Of course you do.” He smiled. She could not gauge the emotion playing in his features. She had never been good at reading people, and he caught her off guard with all of this. “You have a train ticket and a hotel key. I’m sure you know how to find me when you make it back to New York.”

Mariko couldn’t help but giggle as she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. It was a little hard to be inconspicuous when you lived in a skyscraper with your name on the side of it. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure I do.”

Tony stood and began walking toward the cell door, where the guards waited anxiously for the encounter to end.

“Tony, wait!” Mariko called out after him, scrambling to her feet behind him and reaching out a shaky hand to grasp his. “Thank you.” She flung her arms around him in another hug, almost not wanting her friend to leave her sight. His warm hands moved along her back, pulling her closer to him as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

“The choice is yours. I just wanted to help you. I know the real you is better than this. I just hope you realize that.” He smiled at her and pulled her even tighter into the hug for a brief moment before releasing her and walking out of the cell.

Mariko watched him walk through the corridor until he was out of sight. A sigh escaped her as the sound of the heavy metal door blocking her corridor off from the rest of the prison slammed shut, sending echoes waving through the hall. Growing eager for her potential release, she returned to pacing her cell, puzzling over the new proposition he had unveiled to her.

She had no idea what to think of it all. Part of her wanted to stay there and wait for Wade. Part of her knew that was futile. She couldn’t help but still be curious just what Tony was offering. Her mind raced for several hours, exhausting her until the guards finally came for her release.


	2. New York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After leaving prison Mariko is faced with a decision. Does she leave her life of crime for one of comfort, or accept Tony's help only to return to the streets?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains explicit m/f consensual sexual content. Some fluff, some angst, a decision to be made.

Freedom was such a strange feeling to Mariko. As she gathered her belongings from the tall counter in front of her, they felt alien to her. She slid her hand across the ledge, feeling several nicks and scratches in the fading plastic cover. Grasping her cell phone from the pile, she turned it over in her hands, reminiscing over the minuscule details of the cupcake clad case that held it safe. 

The clothing she wore the night they arrested her was freshly laundered and folded in a plastic drawstring bag. The blood and ash that covered them all those months ago were now just a bad memory. Her weapons, of course, sat locked away in an evidence locker. They would not be leaving with her. She paid little mind to their loss as she was content to just have familiar clothing again. 

Mariko had been contemplating the whole situation most of the afternoon. Although she expected her release the night before, it had taken the prison almost 24 hours to get the paperwork prepared for her release. Naturally, they weren’t as excited for her exodus as she was. Even though she wanted nothing more than to see him again, she knew that going back to Wade would be a mistake. She had a chance to make things right, and she had to take it. While her time with him had been an adventure, it had done her no favors. The last thing she wanted was to find herself back in another facility like this one. Although the uncertainty of Tony’s help frightened her, she knew that accepting it was the best option. It appeared for once it was entirely up to her to decide which way her life would go, and that alone was terrifying. 

Grabbing the bag of clothing, she walked over to the small square of a bathroom to the right of the counter. The door caught on the peeling linoleum floor as she tried to push it open, causing her to stumble forward into the claustrophobic space. Bracing her shoulder against it, she pushed the door shut as best she could to afford herself a bit of privacy for the first time in months. Flipping the cracked plastic lid of the toilet down, she sat and began going through the contents of the bag. Even with the lid closed, the stifling aroma of the dirty old toilet filled the stagnant air of the small room. Still, she couldn’t help but smile as her fingertips traced across the familiar fabrics of her clothing. 

Dropping the bag on the ground before her, she stood and untied the fraying drawstrings of her orange prison uniform. Letting the pants fall to the floor, she kicked them ceremoniously across the tiny bathroom. The accompanying shirt followed in short order as she crumpled it up and tossed it as far away from her as she could. 

Reaching into the bag, she pulled a black skirt from its contents and unfolded it. Stepping into it, she pulled it up over her hips and ran her hands along the soft fabric, searching for the zipper. Adjusting the skirt slightly, she reached into the bag once more, this time producing a skull-clad tank top. Pulling it over her shoulders, she adjusted it over the skirt and topped it with the long sleeve black lace top that remained in the bag. Her fingers played at the small threads that had come loose at the edges of her sleeves. The feeling of having her own clothes again made the experience finally feel real to her. 

Gathering the clothing that she had tossed, she crumpled them up into a small ball and stuffed them into the bag. Pulling the drawstrings to seal them away from her sight, she let the bag fall to the ground at her feet. One large boot followed another as she pulled them up the length of her calf and threaded the laces back up, adjusting here and there until they fit the form of her leg. She could see a few spots of blood remaining on the laces of both boots. Apparently, they weren’t cleaned with as much care as the rest of her clothing. 

Picking the bag up, she swung it over her shoulder and yanked at the creaky door to open it. Once again it stuck on the linoleum, opening only enough for her to just barely squeeze from the room. Sighing, she let the door remain in its position as she walked back over to the counter and tossed the bag of prison clothing back up for them to dispose of. Not wasting any time, she gathered up the remaining items that lined the counter. Her fingertips traced thoughtfully over the raised lettering on the keycard Tony had left for her. Turning it over, she tried to remember the location of the hotel before stuffing it into her back pocket with her phone. His words from the day before rang in her ears.

“This is yours too.” A large female guard exclaimed as she tossed a stack of 20 dollar bills her way. 

“No, I didn’t really have any money.” Mariko smiled politely up at her as the cash landed just short of her hand. 

“Well, it was in your things, so it looks like it’s yours. Must be your lucky day.” She flashed an over-exaggerated sarcastic smile Mariko’s way. She didn’t care whose money it was. Not giving it to Mariko meant more paperwork, and that was the last thing she wanted to deal with.

“Tony must have left it…” Mariko mumbled to herself. Feelings of anger and shame filled her from the idea of having him do so much to help her. She was determined to not be a charity case, but the simple fact was that she needed his help. She had little more than spare change in her pocket when she arrived there. Picking up the cash, she counted it carefully to be sure she knew how much she needed to repay him when she got back on her feet. 

“Huh?” The guard looked down angrily at her, annoyed with her questioning. 

“Nothing. Nevermind.” Mariko shook her head, knowing that she was wasting her time trying to talk to this woman. She put the money in her back pocket, moving her phone to one of her front pockets to make room. Taking a deep breath, she stood in a moment of uncertainty and stared blankly up at the guard. “So what’s next?” 

“That’s it. You’re free. I don’t know how you got that much money, but you did.” She rolled her eyes. “Verify your address here.” She scooted a piece of paper across the counter towards Mariko. Although she had no idea where she would stay, she signed to agree that the fake address she had given upon her arrest was correct. “ Don’t leave the country. Don’t miss your court dates. You screw up and it’s right back here and no getting out a second time no matter how much money your friends’ve got.” 

Mariko did her best to ignore the part about coming back. That was something she vowed to avoid at all costs. 

As she put the pen down and slid the paper back over, she heard the tapping of footsteps echoing down the hall behind her. The large iron-barred door swung open, and a guard walked into the room to stand beside her. 

“This one ready?” He asked the woman behind the counter without acknowledging Mariko. 

“She’s all yours.” The woman replied. Her demeanor seemed to have softened instantly upon his arrival. Mariko couldn’t help but find the sudden change curious, but she chalked it up to her being a prisoner. To so many of them, she didn’t seem to deserve kindness. 

“This all you’ve got?” The guard finally turned to look at her as he grabbed the drawstring bag off of the counter and stepped closer to her, clicking handcuffs onto her wrists. 

“Oh, no. I’m not taking that.” Mariko smiled over at him and shook her head as she did her best to adjust the cold metal away from her wrist bones. She laughed softly, but he apparently saw no humor in the situation. 

“Whatever you say.” He shrugged before gesturing towards the door. 

Mariko turned to look at the woman behind the counter once more before taking a few steps toward the still open iron bars. The guard followed closely behind her, gun raised, as she continued down the hallway. 

The light from the outside world burned Mariko’s eyes as they neared the entrance to the prison. She couldn’t help but squint as the pair passed through a double glass door and out into a large courtyard. A yellow taxi waited at the edge of a U-shaped sidewalk that lined the entrance. As they neared it, the back door popped open before her. This was it. She was finally going to be free again. Mariko turned to the guard and raised her arms slowly before her. Pulling a jingling key set from his belt, he clicked the handcuffs open and pulled them from her wrists. 

“So this is it?” She mumbled, looking up at him, still shocked that it was all really happening. He stood silently, arms folded, as he waited impatiently for her to leave. She ran her hand through her hair, pulling it back from her face, and gave a slight nod as though answering her own question before turning and stepping into the taxi. “Central station, please.” She said, smiling at the driver whose eyes studied her carefully in the rearview mirror.

Mariko sank down into the back seat of the taxi, watching buildings and other cars whir past them as the taxi made its way downtown. She only had a vague idea of where the prison was located but knew she was somewhere in D.C. It would be at least 3 hours to make it back to New York on the train. She tried her best to tell herself that the fear she was feeling would go away once she was back in New York and back in her element.

After several blocks, she pulled a twenty from her pocket and handed it through the plastic window to the taxi driver before thanking him. Taking the long stairway down into the station, she studied the map carefully to find the right train. The busy station flustered her almost immediately. So many sights, sounds, and smells. It was all so overwhelming compared to the cold, sterile, 10×10 cell she had lived in for the past several months. 

Finally finding the right train, she pushed her way through the turnstile and stuck her ticket into the machine. As it popped back out at her on the other end, she grabbed it and hurried to the right platform. Stepping up onto the train, she quickly found her seat and slumped down into it, lowering the back to get comfortable for the several hours it would take to make it back to New York. 

During the trip, she borrowed a charging cord from a young woman who was sitting a few rows away from her. Of course, she had no service. It had, no doubt, been shut off almost immediately when she wasn’t there to pay her bill. Unfortunately, any texts or messages she had received while in prison were long gone. She had no way of knowing if Wade or anyone else had tried to contact her. She sat silently thumbing through pictures that remained on her camera roll. So many of them contained Wade. Tears streamed down her cheeks by the time the train finally pulled into Penn Station.

Walking up the long flight of stairs and stepping out into the loud, smelly streets of New York, she breathed deeply. She was home. Stark Tower loomed in the distance, but she knew she wasn’t ready to go there yet. Instead, she turned and walked into a Starbucks just across the street. She had to take a minute to decide what she was going to do. Even then she doubted she could come to a decision, but the reality of what was happening quickly overwhelmed her. 

Sitting at a window seat, she sipped at an iced latte and watched tourists wander the street in front of her. The rich chocolate and espresso flavors filled her senses after months of bland prison food. Curling a straw wrapper around her index finger, she contemplated her options. Of course, she knew she had to at least go thank Tony for his help, but that could wait. Looking out into the street she realized that she was only about 10 or 12 blocks away from the apartment she shared with Wade before being forcibly moved to DC. She knew it was a terrible idea but something in her willed her to make the walk there. After all, she needed to get her things. Admittedly, she had little, but it was at least more than the one outfit she currently wore. 

Sipping the last of her latte she tossed the plastic cup into the recycle bin and rubbed gently between her eyes to will away the brain freeze that was trying to form in her sinuses before pushing the glass door open and starting the hike to her old apartment. She would just stop in to get her things and say goodbye, although she knew full well that she just wanted to see him again. 

Turning the key and pushing the door to her old apartment open, it was instantly clear that he hadn’t been there in some time. There were clothes scattered across the floor and the smell of rotting food filled the air. Walking back to the bedroom, she scanned the closet only to find that many of his favorite weapons were missing. Most of her things were just as she had left them. Saddened by his absence, she quickly gathered the essentials and looked for clues to where he had gone. 

A few pieces of paper sat on the kitchen counter. A strange script was scribbled across them, and it looked as though they were torn into small pieces. Looking them over, she couldn’t decipher what they had once said. Although she thought about holding onto them and taking them to translate the strange writing, she placed them back down onto the counter as she tried to remind herself that she couldn’t get wrapped up in working with him again. She had to leave the mercenary life behind. Saying goodbye to the killing was easy, but the mystery and adventure were much harder to let go of. 

As she walked back out into the sparsely decorated living room, she considered leaving a note for him but wasn’t sure what to even put in it. She didn’t know if he would see it or even care at that point. Deciding against it, she stuffed her things into a backpack she had found in a corner of the closet and locked the door back up, giving one last sad glance at the apartment as she left. 

Darkness was already creeping across the sky when she finally made her way to the hotel she was to stay at. Checking in without issue, she made her way up the elevator and tossed the backpack on the ground before falling backward into the plushly decorated bed. She dozed off almost immediately as the warmth and soft fabrics surrounded her, but was roused from her sleep a few hours later as pangs of hunger forced her awake. She had missed mealtime at the prison and had nothing more than the iced coffee to eat that day. Flipping onto her stomach, she crawled over the thick blankets to get a better look at the alarm clock on the table beside her bed. It was a little after 8:30. Surely something was still open where she could get dinner. 

After fixing her hair, she made her way back down the elevator and into the streets of New York once more. A French restaurant a few blocks away looked like a good enough choice for the evening, so she stopped there. As she ate and sipped on a glass of wine, she contemplated the words that Tony had said. She still couldn’t figure out just why he had helped her or why he would even care to look for her there. Finishing up her salad and drinking the last of her second glass of wine, she left the money for her bill on the table and walked toward Stark Tower. She had no way of telling time but knew that it had to be late. It had taken her at least an hour to eat her dinner. 

Several blocks later and the tower loomed overhead. Mariko stopped for a few tense minutes to stare up at the penthouse. The lights were on, but she didn’t know if it always looked that way. She argued with herself as she stood, trying to decide if she should take the chance to thank him for helping her. At length, she finally decided that he at least deserved to know that she had made it back to the city ok. Mariko made her way through the security check, surprised to find that she was still on the access list. As she walked to the elevator, she studied the many pictures of inventions that lined the hallway. It had been so long since she had been in the building, and even then she only had reason to visit a few times. It felt so odd to be visiting to thank him for freeing her from prison. She still had no idea what she was going to say. 

Stepping off of the elevator she stood for several minutes in front of his door listening to the voices echoing on the other side and second-guessing her decision before knocking. The door swung open before she had a chance to make up her mind, and Tony stood before her with a grin on his face. Several familiar voices escaped the open door from within the room. 

“Oh, it’s a bad time…” She whispered before nearly turning to run away. 

“No, not at all. Come in.” He said as he reached out for her hand. “I’ve been waiting to hear from you.” He smiled, reassuring her as his arm rested across her back, gently guiding her into the room. “Look who’s here!” He exclaimed to the others in the room as he nudged her in front of him and rested his hands on her shoulders. 

Mariko felt as though she could melt through the floor as everyone turned their attention to her. The group was full of individuals she had once considered friends. She couldn’t help but think that if Tony knew of her recent past that they too knew of her time as a mercenary. 

“Mariko!” Bruce stood first, walking over towards her and wrapping her in a brief hug. “How have you been?” 

“I…. I’m good.” She smiled, replying in a shaky voice. Natasha offered a wave and Steve motioned for her to join him on the overstuffed brown leather couch. 

“Good to see you again, kid.” He said, patting her arm in a friendly gesture as she sat. 

“Miss Mariko, I trust you are doing well.” Thor smiled up from where he sat on the floor. “You’re just in time to join us for a toast! What better time… to old friends!” He roared as he handed her a glass that smelled of rum. The wine she had drank with her dinner was the first alcohol she had had in months and was already making her a little dizzy. The smell was almost overpowering as she raised the glass to her lips, but she tilted her head back, taking it all in one drink. As she placed it back down on the table, she shook her head from the stinging in her throat and sank back against the couch. 

Tony walked over holding two freshly opened bottles of beer. Tiny bubbles still foamed near the top as he handed one of them to her before taking the seat next to her. She felt his gaze on her and turned to look in his direction. Instantly her cheeks flushed as their eyes met. 

“Are you sure this isn’t a bad time?” She asked, turning slightly to face him as she spoke. 

“We’ll talk later.” He rested a hand on her lower thigh with a grin. 

The party went on for a few more hours before drinking turned to hunger, and most of the group decided to visit a nearby diner for midnight snacks. All but Natasha had gone, leaving Mariko and Tony in an uneasy silence. 

“So you wanted to talk?” He flashed a half-drunk smile her way. Mariko questioned if it would be better to wait for a sober discussion or to dive in headfirst. 

“I just…” Even as the words left her mouth, she was unsure of what she wanted to say. “I guess I just don’t understand what’s going on here.” 

Tony’s signature smirk played in the corners of his jaw. “It’s really not that complicated. I learned through some intel that one of the X-Men had found themselves in some trouble over at Fed. After some research, I learned who it was and stepped in to see what I could to remedy the situation.” 

“Yeah…” Mariko hesitated. “…but why?” 

“Oh, I don’t know.” His smirk remained. “Helping an old colleague?” 

Mariko wasn’t sure she bought that. Sure, it made sense, but it felt like there was more going on than that. “So what do you want from me in return?” She said after puzzling over his words for a few moments. Her time as a merc had led her to believe that nobody did things out of pure kindness. Everyone had some kind of motive. “I have no money to repay you right now, but I will…. In time.” 

“I don’t want you to repay me.” He moved closer to her as he spoke. “I just want you to be safe.” 

She definitely felt a lot safer being back with her old friends than she did back in that cell. Even though she had to admit she was feeling quite uneasy with the sudden change, she hoped that would fade soon enough. 

“I want you to stay here until you get on your feet again.” He said, curling a finger under her jaw and pulling her gaze up to meet his. “Or longer…” 

“I don’t…” She gave him a puzzled look. “I’m sure Pepper wouldn’t like that much.” She laughed at the idea of staying in the apartment with the two of them. 

“She isn’t here.” He asserted. “She hasn’t been in the picture for a while now, Momo.” 

“Oh.” Was all she could manage through her confusion. She had no idea what he was getting at. 

“I can keep you safe here.” His gaze remained locked on her. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to go back to him?” 

Mariko knew exactly who he was talking about. It was almost painful for Tony to mention him or the relationship they had once had. “It’s not like that.” She quipped back at him. “It wasn’t like that with him.” 

“ I know,” He laughed, seemingly not caring about offending her. “But there’s nothing but trouble waiting with him.” 

She just sat in silence, unsure of how to take his words. Surely he wasn’t hitting on her. It was so unexpected coming from him. They had been close friends in the past, but she had never thought of him in that light before. 

“Look, I know it seems strange. Manipulative maybe.” He began. “I’ve always had an interest, but the timing was always wrong.” 

He was right. The last time she had seen him, they were both with someone else. Perhaps that was why she had never seen him in that light before. The idea played through her thoughts as he spoke. He was certainly charming. He had always had that going for him. 

“I just want to see where this goes.” He said, moving closer still until they were just inches apart. “I mean, you can say no. I don’t want you to feel obligated.” He added quickly. “I would have helped you regardless…” 

Mariko looked away for a brief moment. It was all too much for her. Whether he would have helped her anyway, it definitely had a manipulative feel to it. She wasn’t so sure she was completely ready to give Wade up, much less move on to someone new already, but Tony had freed her from federal prison. She knew she owed him something, but wasn’t sure she was ready or willing to address his offer. Looking back to see a glimmer of hope in his eyes, she smiled with a soft giggle. “I don’t know what to say…” 

“Don’t say anything. Just stay.” He smiled back at her. “That’s it for now. Just stay so I know you’re safe.” 

She gave his words a few moments to settle in. “Ok” She agreed, nodding her head. Surely none of the people who might have a bone to pick with her if they knew she was free would think to look for her there. 

His hand moved from where it was resting on her thigh and traced up along the edge of her jaw. Leaning in closer to her, his lips brushed against her as he placed a soft kiss on the delicate bones of her cheek. Mariko blushed slightly at the feel of his facial hair tickling her soft skin. Raising her hand up to his jaw, she turned her head slightly, grazing her bottom lip against his as she kissed him in return. 

“Thank you.” She said with a smile, lingering close to him. 

The pair had been so engrossed in their conversation that they hadn’t noticed that Natasha had left them alone in the apartment. Standing, Tony began to pick up the empty beer bottles and glasses that lined the table in front of them. Mariko, although albeit a little flustered, followed behind him with an armload full of bottles to help. 

“What am I doing?” He said with a laugh as he placed his bottles down on the kitchen counter. “ I pay people to do this for me.” 

Mariko placed her glasses down with a giggle. His life was so foreign to her. She couldn’t even imagine having a staff to do whatever she asked. 

Before she knew it, he had cornered her against the counter. His hands curled into the tips of her hair as he gazed down at her. The height difference between them wasn’t much, but it was enough to give him a commanding presence over her. Mariko looked up at him as her teeth sank against her bottom lip. Wade was still ever-present in her mind, but Tony had definitely captured her attention. As much as she tried to resist the idea, she felt her body aching to be touched again after months alone. 

His hands moved from her hair and followed a slow path along the curve of her back, pulling her closer to him as he went in for another kiss. She returned it, letting him pull her close to him as the hesitation she had felt began to slowly fade away. After a long, lingering kiss, he stepped back and adjusted his belt slightly. 

“So.” He said, his voice crackling slightly as he spoke. “Let’s get you settled in.” He turned and walked down the long hall to the right of the kitchen. Mariko was unsure whether she should follow him, so she stood awkwardly in the kitchen for several minutes. She had no idea where this was going, but she was pretty sure she liked it. There was something so alluring about his presence. After a while, she heard his voice from a distance and scurried down the hall to find him. 

“There you are.” He laughed as she finally found him. “You can stay in here.” She walked through the doorway into a plush bedroom. More pillows lined the bed than she had ever seen. “I’ll take the couch for now.” He added as he grabbed a few of the pillows and walked over to the closet to find a blanket. 

“No, no, no, no, no.” Mariko shook her head. “I can’t kick you out of your own room.” She laughed. “I’ll be fine on the couch.” She walked over to take the pillows from him. 

As she neared him, he hid the pillows behind his back, shaking his head. “Nope.” A grin crossed his face as she tried to go behind him to retrieve the pillows, refusing to accept his answer. 

“Oh, it’s like that, is it?” She giggled. Tony just nodded his head in agreement. 

“Ok, you want to be like that,” Mariko smirked as she stopped in front of him. She stood on her toes as she curled her arms around his neck and planted a soft kiss on his lips. The alcohol coursing through her system was having a say, but something inside of her wanted to be close to him. She let her hands fall from his shoulders and reached for the pillows, trying to pull them from his grasp. 

“Sneaky, sneaky” He laughed, dropping the pillows on the floor and moving his hands until they were on her waist, pulling her closer to him. It had been so long since she had felt someone’s touch, let alone this. She felt herself eager for more as she took a few steps back, luring him over to the bed. 

Mariko wrestled Tony down onto the bed, although he had put up little resistance. Before she realized what she was doing, she had climbed over him, straddling him as she leaned down to kiss him again. His hands were on her hips, pulling her down harder onto him. She breathed a soft sigh, sinking her teeth against her lip again as her eyes met his. After six months of near solitude, his touch had awakened something primal in her. 

Tony sat up, pulling her close to him, and moved his hands to the bottom of her lace shirt, pulling it up over her head between kisses. Her tank top followed in short order. Mariko’s hands moved along the buttons of his shirt, popping them open one by one as her hunger for him grew in intensity. His hands curled in her hair as he kissed her. She could feel him bulging hard against the thin fabric that now separated them as her skirt rode up over her hips with each movement they made. 

She couldn’t help but stop to look at the odd glowing metal device in his chest as she removed his shirt. She assumed it had something to do with the Iron Man suit he wore, but it was startling to see. She knew he wasn’t a mutant like her, but knew little more about his story. 

“It’s ok. You can’t hurt me.” He said, stopping for a moment when he realized what had drawn her attention. 

“What is it?” She asked, tracing a fingertip along the edge of the device as she looked at it curiously.

“It’s a reactor core.” He said in a matter-of-fact tone, as though she was supposed to know what he was talking about. Realizing that she still had a look of confusion, he added, “it keeps me alive.” 

“Oh…” Mariko said, quickly withdrawing her hand after hearing his words. 

“It’s ok.” He laughed, moving his own hand to knock at the device. “It’s not going anywhere.”

Mariko just nodded and raised her hand up to his jaw. His hands moved behind her, unhooking her bra and pulling it from her shoulders before letting his hands trail along the flesh of her back, pulling her closer to him. His hips moved upward, pressing the bulge in his pants harder against her. She rolled her hips, riding him as her body tingled from his touch.

Suddenly he moved, tossing her back against the pillows as he hovered over her. He steadied himself with one hand as his tongue passed her lips and curled against hers. The other hand danced a trail along the edge of her stomach. Mariko raised her hands to his hair, grasping it tightly and pulling him closer to her. Fumbling along the edge of her skirt, he quickly found the zipper. In one motion he had it unhooked and was pulling it from her body. She moved slightly, helping him pull it over her hips.

His hand returned to her stomach and played along the lacy fabric that separated them. Mariko drew a sharp breath as his hand moved across the fabric, teasing her. His hand moved lower and lower as he kissed her. The fabric growing wet beneath his touch as he began moving it in soft circles, playing his fingers against her as his kisses moved along her jaw and down the curve of her neck. Her back arched up slightly to his touch as she squirmed against his hand. Slowly he increased the pressure of his touch, rubbing harder against her as he traced his tongue along her neck. “Mmmh Tony” she sighed in a half-whisper moving her hands from his hair to the pillow beneath her head. One hand curled into the sheet below her as she felt herself tingling beneath his touch. 

“ I love the sound of my name on those lips.” He said, his lips moving against the flesh of her neck as he spoke. 

“Tony Tony Tony Tony” She giggled sarcastically. Her breath fell heavy against his cheek as she squirmed beneath his hand. He growled softly and moved his hand beneath her panties, pressing two fingers inside of her. He continued to kiss along the glistening flesh of her neck, the weight of his body pressed against hers. His hand curled, pressing in deeper as his thumb circled against her clit. Her back arched up as she moaned and his kisses moved further down her body. 

Mariko pulled him up closer to her and grasped at the edges of the shirt still hanging open against the sides of his chest. Pulling it off of him, she sat up, hungry for his kisses as her hair fell around her face. As she moved, he worked to remove his pants. Kicking them off, he left them on the bed before pulling her back onto him. His rigid cock pressed hard against her wet panties as she landed back on his lap. He ran his hands through her hair, brushing it back from her face as he kissed her. “You are so beautiful.” His hands moved along the curves of her body, pulling her closer to him. 

Mariko had no idea how to answer him, so she remained silent. Continuing to kiss him, she arched her body against him through his boxers. The heat of his flesh radiated against hers as their bodies slid across one another. His hand moved again to her hair, grasping it and pulling her head to the side to expose the soft flesh of her neck as he kissed a path along her collarbone. 

“Tony…” She said, her breath shaky as his hands moved over her body. “Is this too soon?” 

He stopped, his hand moving to her cheek as he brushed a stray hair aside with the edge of his thumb. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest against the cold metal device in his. “You don’t want this?” He asked, looking into her eyes. 

“ I REALLY want this.” She giggled, her lip trembling with anticipation as she spoke. “I just don’t want to screw things up.” She rested her hands against his chest, anxiously drawing circles against the curves of his musculature with a fingertip as she spoke. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for this yet. It was all so sudden. She still couldn’t stop thinking about Wade and didn’t know what Tony was expecting from all of this. Was it just a one-night stand or would it make things awkward between them? There was something so irresistible about his confidence and intensity, though. 

“I know.” He kissed her softly. She felt that she could sense a slight hint of aggravation in his voice as he spoke. “Let’s promise, then. No making it weird.” 

Mariko frowned. “You know it’s not that easy, right?” 

Lifting his hand to her lips to shush her, he laughed softly. “Of course I do.” Replacing his hand with his lips, he grasped her hair again, holding her close to him. Her flesh tingled, feeling the prickly hair on his chin move against her cheek as he moved his head up. “So what’s it gonna be, Momo? Yes or no?” His lips moved against her as he whispered in her ear. 

She only needed a second to think, although thinking was hard at that point. All she could focus on was the feel of his skin against hers. Her only answer was as short “yes” as she pulled his mouth to hers, curling her tongue against his and letting him push her back against the pillow. 

His hand traced along her side, grasping her ass and pulling her up as he continued to kiss her. Ripping her panties down off of her, he moved closer. With a soft gasp, her muscles tightened as he pressed inside of her. Her legs curled around his, pulling him closer to her as he thrust harder and harder. Her hands grasped his hair as she felt pressure building inside of her and his kisses moved back down her neck. Moving up, she pushed him onto his back and climbed on top of him. Rolling her hips with each thrust he made, she rode him hard as his hands grasped her hips, holding her down onto him. Her hands pressed against his chest for balance as her hair fell into her face. 

“God damn it, Tony.” She said in a whimper as she fell soft against his chest. Arching up to kiss him, she worked to catch her breath. His arm moved around her back as he gave her a questioning look. 

“That wasn’t supposed to be that good.” She narrowed her eyes in a feeble attempt to glare at him. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” He said with a sarcastic grin. 

“You should be.” Mariko couldn’t help but giggle. 

“I’ll make it up to you tomorrow…but I’ll try to make it suck?” Planting a soft kiss against her forehead, he leaned back against the pillow beneath him. “I’ve got to admit though, I’ve been wanting to do that for a long, long time.” 

“Really?” Mariko turned slightly, looking up at him in disbelief. 

“Mmm-hmm.” He was still grinning. 

“Even when you were with Miss Perfect?” Mariko instantly regretted her question the minute it left her lips. 

Tony rolled his eyes, but Mariko didn’t see. “Yes, even then.” 

“What happened to you two, anyway?” Mariko asked, and again internally scolded herself for being too pushy. 

“Difference of opinion.” He wasn’t going into any details. Pulling her up tighter to him, he yawned. 

Mariko pulled the thick blankets up closer to her as she frowned. That wasn’t quite the answer she had hoped for, but she had to accept it for now.


	3. The Lunch Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mariko runs into a somewhat familiar face while out to lunch with Tony. Is it really who she thinks it is or is her mind just playing tricks on her?

Mariko woke as she had ended the night, her small body curled against Tony’s. After spending so long in that cage, the alarm was a sound that unfamiliar to her, but not one she had missed. Tony groaned as he reached over her, slapping at the alarm to shut it up. He then rested his hand against the small of her back, kissing her on the forehead. 

“So is this still a yes?” He asked her, moving his hand up along the curve of her back and running his fingertips through her wild red curls. 

“Hmm…” She smiled with a hint of sarcasm. She could feel his chest rise and fall against her cheek with each breath he took. “I think it might be.” His hand moved further up into her hair as he pulled her up closer to him. Reacting to his touch, she arched her back up and pressed her soft lips to his in a kiss. She worried that the previous night had been a one-off or a mistake, but it appeared this wasn’t his intention. 

He moved his hand to caress her cheek, his familiar smirk crossing his face as he gazed back at her. “I’ve got a meeting with some military suits today. Do you want to come with? I’m sure Rhodie would be happy to see you.” He sat up, letting the blanket that had been wrapped around them fall back onto her. 

“No.” Mariko shook her head, quite certain of her answer. “I’ve got something I need to do today.” Her nerves were already on edge for the task at hand, but she knew it had to happen. She couldn’t just go back into the world he wanted her to be a part of again without at least trying to fix things at the Xavier school. She hadn’t left on bad terms per se, but her life as a mercenary had done her no favors there. 

“Ah, ok.” He gave a sad nod. “Lunch, then?” He stood, still naked, and walked to a dresser to the left side of the bed. After rummaging through a drawer for a moment, he tossed something in her direction, barely giving her time to react before it came within inches of her cheek. “I know you like the Lotus. It’s yours for the day.” He smiled, before grabbing a towel and walking toward the shower. 

Wrapping the blanket around her as she stood, Mariko meandered after him. After placing the keys he had tossed her way on the nightstand, she took a somber look at the clothing piled on the floor. Frowning at her lack of choices for the day, she dropped the blankets and walked the rest of the way to join him in the shower. 

Hot jets of water hit her from all angles and a heavy stream poured from the ceiling as she stepped through the glass door. It was such a drastic change from the icy trickle they had afforded her in prison. Even the shower in the apartment she shared with Wade paled in comparison. Raising her hands to her temples, she slicked her hair back away from her face. Her arms remained raised over her head as she breathed the steam of the shower and watched water drops race their way down Tony’s spine in front of her. Lowering her hands, she reached out a fingertip to trace the path of one drop of water as it moved along his back. He turned to face her as though reacting to her touch. 

“I’m so happy you’re here.” His hand rested on the curve of her hip, drawing her nearer to him as he spoke. The heat of the water ran between them as his hand moved over her body. Steam filled the small space, making them both breathe heavier. 

“Me too.” She smiled up at him before resting her cheek against his chest and letting him hold her close under the stream of water. She couldn’t help but wonder how he showered with the metal device in his chest and if it reacted to water. However, her attention was quickly drawn from the device in his chest as one of his hands moved up to her hair. He pulled it in a slow, deliberate motion, turning her face up to meet his in a kiss. His other hand moved down the curve of her ass before grasping the back of her thigh and softly lifting her leg as he pushed her back against the tile wall. Mariko tightened her leg around his, pulling him in closer to her as his tongue curled against hers. His hand moved down her chest and between her legs as he held her against the wall of the shower. Slowly his hand moved against her wet skin, rubbing against her and opening her body up to him. 

His teeth pressed sharply against her plump bottom lip and a soft moan escaped him before she felt him inside of her. Pressing her back hard against the tile wall, he moved with a slow, deliberate passion that had been absent in his hunger for her the night before. Her body tingled as his hands slid over her, burning hot beneath the warm stream of the shower. Continuing to kiss her through each thrust, he moved faster. His breath fell harder against her lips as his eyes met hers. 

She moved her arms from his shoulders and curled her fingers into his hair. Her eyes remained locked on his as the look on his face turned her on even more. “Mmh, fuck me, Tony.” She whispered. Her slick wet lips moving against his as she spoke. He moaned and pressed his lips harder to hers. His movements became faster, harder, and more deliberate. She felt him throbbing inside of her just seconds before clutching his hair and crying softly against his cheek in ecstasy. 

Mariko’s legs shook beneath her as he pulled away from her and let the water wash him clean. She slumped back, resting her head against the wall as she caught her breath. Taking another step in close to her again, he traced the back of his hand along her cheek. “I could do that all day.” He grinned before stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around himself. Fog quickly spread across the glass shower door, obscuring her view of him as he walked further into the bedroom. 

Mariko spent several more minutes in the shower. As much as she tried not to let Tony’s wealth and privilege go to her head, she couldn’t help but enjoy the sudden luxuries that were available to her after spending so long with nothing. Even before she found herself in prison, she had so little. Money was a come and go kind of thing with Wade, and even before meeting him, she had spent months homeless and alone on the streets.

By the time Mariko finally returned to the bedroom, it surprised her to see that he had already left. It was an odd feeling for her to be alone in his apartment, but she quickly reminded herself just how busy he must have been. He was working as a superhero, running a company, and who knows what else. A part of her felt selfish for even questioning his absence. All the same, she pouted as she sat on the edge of the bed and towel-dried her hair.

As she looked over at her pile of clothes, a small stack of money sitting on the nightstand drew her attention. Standing, she walked over to find that it was five hundred-dollar bills with a note. Picking it up, she read, ‘surprise me with something pretty…. Love, Tony’. Mariko rolled her eyes, angry at the idea of him spending even more money on her. She reached down to grab her clothing and quickly slid them back on. She grabbed the keys and folded the money before placing it in her pocket. Walking across the bedroom, she stopped for a moment to adjust her hair before heading out the door to the elevator. 

Once down in the garage, she walked past a string of cars lining the pavement. He did always enjoyed having quite a few toys. She remembered the many gadgets and odd things he always had on old missions they had worked together. Walking past five cars, she finally found the Lotus with a license plate reading “Stark 6”. Giggling at his quirks, she clicked the button to unlock it. As she nestled down into the driver’s seat, she adjusted the rear-view mirror to take a long look at herself.

Not even 24 hours ago she had been rotting away in federal prison and now here she was in the garage of Stark Tower sitting in one of her favorite cars. It was almost too much to take in. Once again, her thoughts drifted back to Wade and his disappearance. She couldn’t help but wonder where he had gone, and whether he had just written her off and moved on as easily as Logan had when she went missing all those years ago.

With a heavy sigh, she let her gaze fall to the tattered clothing that she wore. She really had let herself go in recent years. As much as she hated the idea of being his charity case, there was no way she could continue to dress like this if she was going to continue to spend time with someone like Tony Stark. Deciding to take him up on his offer, she searched the nearest local mall on the GPS screen in the center console of the car. Turning the engine on, the Lotus purred into action and she pulled it through security and out of the garage. 

As she drove, Mariko watched carefully for police. Although she knew she was doing nothing wrong, she couldn’t shake the feeling that just being out in the open exposed her and made her more vulnerable. For the first time since her release, she truly felt alone, and the idea chilled her to the bone. She had always felt so carefree and independent with Wade. Then again, she didn’t have the fear of going to prison back then either. Even though she knew the life they lived was criminal, in the moment it always felt as though they were invincible. 

After a short time wandering the various stores in the mall, she walked into one of the bathrooms, her arms loaded with bags as she squeezed past the swinging metal door and into a stall. Trying her best to hang the bags on the two small hooks on the back of the door, she sat on the toilet and began removing her day’s old clothing. As she searched through the various bags, she pulled out a burgundy pencil skirt, ripping the tags off of it before sliding it up over her hips. Turning her back to the small mirror on the side of the stall, she reached for the zipper and pulled it closed. From another bag, she pulled a white half tank and a pair of black lace panties. Suddenly remembering the lingerie set she bought, she removed the skirt and rummaged through the bags for the bra. Returning the skirt over the new lingerie, she added the tank top and pulled the tag from a long, fuzzy tan cardigan before sliding it over her outfit. Opening a shoebox, she slid a pair of white stilettos onto her feet, tightening the strap around her ankle before fastening the buckles. Finally, she topped the outfit off with a pair of oversized black sunglasses. 

She wobbled for a few moments as she stood, trying to gain her balance after wearing prison flats and boots for so long. At length she stepped out of the bathroom, half convinced that she looked absolutely ridiculous. It was such a strange contrast to what she had been wearing for years. Taking a deep breath, she adjusted the bags on her arms and made her way back to the Lotus. On her way back to the car, she stopped in a makeup store and used testers to add grey eyeshadow, dark black mascara, and red lipstick to finish her look. Her life on the streets had taught her to have few qualms over “borrowing” here and there. 

Reaching the car, she sat once again looking in the mirror at her reflection. She couldn’t shake the feeling of disbelief at just how much her life had changed in just a day, but she was doing her best to not let it all go to her head. She had no plans, no life to speak of. It was all such a mystery. The idea both thrilled and horrified her, but she was doing what she had learned to do so long ago, to just survive to the next day. 

As she sat in the car building up the courage to make the drive to the school, a sudden ringing startled her. Pressing a flashing button by the radio, she watched as a screen cast itself over the windshield in front of her. An image of Tony materialized on the screen. Three men in military uniforms stood in conversation just a few steps behind him. 

“Wow…” Tony said, staring at her for a minute without saying another word.

“I look that ridiculous?” She giggled, looking shyly up at the screen. 

“You’re kidding, right? You look amazing.” 

Mariko grinned back at him. “Well, just don’t go getting used to buying me things.” She paused, “I don’t enjoy being bought.” 

“I’ll get right on that after I buy you lunch.” He smirked. “I’m sending coordinates to the car’s GPS. See you in a few?” 

Mariko hadn’t begun the day’s task but couldn’t bring herself to tell him no. “Can’t wait.” She smiled before pushing the button to turn the screen back off. She watched as the coordinates loaded into the GPS. Turning the key over, she zipped the car to where the coordinates told her to go. About 25 minutes later she arrived at the restaurant to see Tony and the other men outside already waiting for a table. As she parked, he pulled the door open to help her out of the car. 

“Hey, gorgeous.” He whispered in her ear as he placed a soft kiss on her cheek. His arm rested across her back as he led her to rejoin the other men, introducing her quickly before the hostess came to lead the group to their table. 

She was undeniably disinterested in the conversation going on at the table once everyone settled in. Although she respected the work that Tony did in the weapons industry, it was not an interest that she shared with him in the least. She immediately felt better being by his side, though. He had a commanding presence that made her feel safe regardless of where they were. Of course, knowing that he was just a snap of the fingers away from full body armor and lasers may have helped. 

Picking at her salad, she let her attention wander to the others in the restaurant. Her gaze made it over to a peculiar woman sitting at a table just left of theirs. She wore a deep purple dress and had flowing raven hair that framed her shoulders. Half staring over at the woman’s table she nodded at the “blah blah weapons blah blah” discussion going on at her own. Suddenly, her gaze made it to the woman’s companion. Her eyes widened as she got a better look at him. “….Wade….” She gasped. 

As though he had heard her, the man turned to look in Mariko’s direction. He was missing the scars that once lined his face, and he actually had hair, but there was no denying his identity as their eyes met. Hoping he hadn’t seen her, she fumbled to move the oversized sunglasses atop her head down over her eyes. Trying to obscure his view of her more, she fluffed her hair, hiding the side of her face from him. 

“You ok?” Tony’s voice broke her from her thoughts. She was so flustered that she had forgotten he was beside her for a moment but smiled back in his direction. 

“I’m fine.” She lied. “The sun was just in my face.” Trying to change the subject, she picked more at her salad and nodded, feigning interest in the conversation going on at her own table. Tony’s hand moved down and rested softly on the top of her thigh before returning to the conversation. 

As Tony returned to the ‘manly talk’ at the table, Mariko couldn’t help but let her attention drift back to Wade and the woman in purple. Perhaps her mind was just playing tricks on her because she wanted to see him so badly. There was no way he could have just lost his scars, and there was definitely no way he could have grown that much hair. Only a few months had passed since she saw him last. Things like that just don’t happen that quickly. Carefully, she tried to peer through her sunglasses at him. The bone structure, the mannerisms, and those piercing green eyes. It was definitely him, but how? She had only seen pictures of him without his disfigured skin, but never in person. He had left his mask on for much of their first few weeks together, only becoming comfortable enough to show her his true identity days after she had officially moved in with him. It was never something that bothered her, though. She had always cared about him, not just his skin. All the same, he looked pretty damn good.

Mariko had to know who this woman was and what she was doing with him. If she had something to do with his new appearance. She couldn’t help but wonder if this woman was the reason he had stopped visiting the prison. Surely, if she was behind his new look, that would be enough for him to be indebted to her. As odd as it felt to say about her former lover, she was definitely out of his league. The two seemed to be deep in conversation as Mariko cautiously watched their table. None of it made any sense to her. Here he was in a whole new life. Hell, apparently even a whole new skin.

After several minutes of watching the pair, it appeared they were getting up to leave. Not wanting to lose sight of them, Mariko whispered to Tony, excusing herself from the table. Getting up, she trailed far enough behind the two to be inconspicuous as they walked through the dining room. As she weaved through tables, Mariko’s attention was drawn to a woman walking into the room with a microphone. A bearded man with a camera trailed behind her. Mariko turned her head as the woman walked by to see which table she walked towards, but quickly lost sight of her in the crowd that was forming. As she turned back around, Mariko walked directly into Wade, who had also stopped to see why the reporter was there. 

“Shit…” Mariko growled under her breath before looking up at him, half scared that she was needlessly stalking a stranger. “Hey Wade…” She shyly smiled, completely unsure of what to say or why she had felt such a powerful urge to follow him. His familiar scent sent waves of nostalgia through her as she tried to fight back the feelings it mustered within her. 

He seemed to look down at her puzzled.” Hey there…..um, how do you know my name?”

“Wade….?” Mariko looked up, terrified that she had just nearly tackled a stranger. Surely, there wasn’t another Wade that looked so much like him though. “I uh, well…” 

Before she could form an answer, the woman in purple swooped in. “Please excuse my husband, he does get clumsy sometimes.” She flashed a fake smile and pulled Wade away as he stared back at Mariko in confusion. 

Mariko stood there for several minutes, unsure of what had just happened. Was it actually her Wade? Did he really not recognize her? She didn’t look anywhere near as different as he did… “Husband?!?!” She exclaimed in amazement as the word finally registered. He sure had moved on. He had moved on so much that he had completely forgotten about her. She didn’t feel so bad for what had happened, twice now, with Tony. A strange mix of anger and sadness washed over her. She couldn’t believe that she had wanted so badly to see him, and this was what she found. 

As Mariko walked angrily back over to the table, she realized just where the reporter had been going. Trying to inch her way over to the corner of the room to avoid being caught up in the conversation, she slumped against a wall but quickly realized that her re-entry had caught Tony’s eye. Defeated, she walked back to her seat beside him. 

As one of the military men finished up a speech, the reporter turned the microphone to Tony “Mr. Stark, I understand that the missile system isn’t the only news for Stark Industries today.” She looked over to Mariko with a smile as she awaited an answer from Tony. He just looked at the woman with a grin, not willing to give her the gossip she was looking for. 

“We hear Miss Yashida was recently released from federal prison. Would you like to comment on that, Mr. Stark?” The woman asked, suddenly getting a little too personal for Mariko’s liking. 

“We all make mistakes,” Tony replied, still not giving the woman what she was hoping for. 

Feeling quite small, Mariko just smiled nervously at the camera. 

The woman just laughed and turned to the cameraman, motioning for him to follow her as she made her way back through the tables and out of the room. Mariko had forgotten that being in the spotlight was part of the territory with Tony. No matter how much she disliked it, it was something she would have to get used to if she planned on staying with him. 

Wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible after the draining questions and her run-in with Wade, Mariko whispered in Tony’s ear about going to the school and excused herself from the table once more. 

As she drove towards the Xavier school, she knew she wasn’t ready to go there yet. She needed to clear her thoughts before heading to West Chester, so she drove aimlessly around the outskirts of the city for nearly an hour before turning onto the highway leading to the school. Finally turning the car into the long, winding driveway of the school, she parked and sat a few minutes trying to will herself to head in and round off what was already turning out to be a miserable day. 


End file.
